New Hampshire: “Universal” Background Check Bill Amended in House Committee

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

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Yesterday, the state House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee reported an amended version of House Bill 1589 by a 10-8 vote, making it even more prohibitive to privately sell or transfer a firearm in the Granite State.

The amendment adopted yesterday attempts to close the so-called “gun show loophole” by mandating background checks for all transactions at gun shows and expands the mandate to private sales conducted through newspaper ads or internet ads. In addition, this amended version eliminates the original family exemption in HB 1589 by replacing it with an exemption for non-commercial firearm sales with standards that would be impossible for private sellers or transferors to meet.

“Universal” background checks do nothing to reduce violent crime, and only affect law-abiding gun owners by imposing cumbersome mandates and restrictions on the lawful purchase and possession of firearms. Criminals, by definition, violate laws, especially gun control laws. They don’t register their firearms, purchase firearms through licensed dealers or subject themselves to any gun control schemes that only penalize law-abiding citizens. Furthermore, it is already illegal to knowingly sell or transfer a firearm to someone classified as a prohibited person, and is a felony for a prohibited person to buy, own or possess a firearm.

HB 1589 will soon go to the House floor for consideration. Please continue to contact your state Representative(s) and urge him or her or them to vote no on this egregious attack on your Second Amendment rights. Contact information for your state Representative(s)can be found here.

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Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.